Kansas Jayhawks head to OSU for Big Monday: ‘We’ll get more rest and be ready’
Kansas combo guard Marcus Garrett stepped in front of an errant Tennessee pass just past halfcourt, then sped toward the south goal for what figured to be a resounding one-handed, breakaway slam dunk with 4:17 left in the first half of the Jayhawks’ 74-68 victory over the Vols on Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse.
The 6-foot-5 junior from Dallas, however, was knocked to the floor by Olivier Nkamhoua, the Vols’ player who was assessed a flagrant foul.
Garrett landed hard on his back and was helped up by teammate Christian Braun amid loud booing from KU’s student section behind the south basket.
No Jayhawks or Vols lost their cool four days after a Silvio De Sousa block of a DaJuan Gordon breakaway layup initiated a sequence against Kansas State that culminated in a brawl and suspensions of KU’s David McCormack, Silvio De Sousa and two K-State players.
Why no emotion from Garrett, who, after making sure he survived the foul and fall, hit one of two free throws to give KU a 27-26 lead?
“It’s basketball. It wasn’t intentional at all,” Garrett said after scoring eight points with seven rebounds, four steals, three assists and no turnovers in 39 minutes. “My arm … once I was in the air and knew I was going to fall, I braced myself.”
Garrett insisted he was fine physically — and despite playing all but one minute of the Big 12/SEC Challenge game against Tennessee — would be ready for Monday’s quick-turnaround contest at Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks (16-3, 5-1) will take on the Cowboys (10-9, 0-6) at 8 p.m. in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
“I don’t think so,” Garrett said, asked if the Jayhawks would be weary in resuming Big 12 play two days after a hard-earned home win.
On Saturday, point guard Devon Dotson scored 22 points with seven assists and two turnovers in 39 minutes, while Ochai Agbaji had 16 points in 38 minutes, Braun seven points and four boards in 32 minutes. Udoka Azubuike had 18 points and 11 boards in 27 minutes and Isaiah Moss two points on 1-of-6 shooting in 20 minutes. Tristan Enaruna (one point, one board) went five minutes Saturday as a back-up center in the absence of McCormack and De Sousa.
“We have a day of rest. We don’t have practice tomorrow. We’ll get more rest and be ready on Monday,” Garrett said.
KU coach Bill Self acknowledged the possibility of fatigue.
“Our guys played tired,” Self said of the Jayhawks, who missed 13 of 17 three-point shots while making just 20 of 33 free throws and 46.3% from the field overall. Tennessee hit 6 of 15 threes and went 12 of 16 from the line while hitting 45.5% overall.
“This was a hard game for us. We’ve only got seven guys basically available,” Self added. “We only played six really (plus Enaruna). We’ve got to be better than we were today.. We’ve got to be a little more efficient. I think we will be. That doesn’t guarantee victory, but things we learned from today we can get better from.”
McCormack has one-game remaining on a two-game suspension; De Sousa 11 games left on his 12-gamer.
One Jayhawk who figures to be fresh Monday is 7-footer Azubuike, who was dominant in his 27 minutes. Fouls kept him from playing more than that.
Self says Azubuike is in fantastic shape as he exhibited in blocking two shots in the final minute. He finished with four blocks overall.
“It’s getting in shape in the offseason, but a lot more to it, too,” Self said of the 255-pound Azubuike being in tip-top condition. “We don’t practice long but he never comes out, I’ll say, ‘Doke take a blow.’ (He says), ‘No I don’t need to. I’ve got to run.’
“He’s seen the benefit of what conditioning can do,” Self added of the Nigeria native, who averages 13.2 points a game on 78.1% shooting (107 of 137). He’s 36 of 85 from the line for 42.4%. “If you’ve never been in great shape you don’t know what great shape is. I think it (his condition) obviously plays a big role in his confidence and everything. He’s worked his tail off. All our guys have worked hard, none harder than Doke putting himself in position to be the best version of what he can possibly be.”
Oklahoma State played eight players 21 or more minutes in Saturday’s slump-busting 73-62 victory over Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. A ninth player, Chris Harris, went nine minutes.
Isaac Likekele scored 13 points in 30 minutes, while Thomas Dziagwa and Jonathan Laurent had 12 points apiece in 27 and 25 minutes respectively. Also, Lindy Waters had 11 points in 33 minutes and Yor Anei 11 points and nine boards in 21 minutes.
“Oklahoma State had a great win today at A&M,” Self said. “The lid came off for them at Iowa State. They’ll have confidence,” Self said.
OSU hit 42% of its shots (including 10 of 25 threes) in a 89-82 loss Tuesday at Iowa State, then hit 55.1% at A&M, (8 of 19 threes).
“I know on Monday … let’s not play without Doke,” Self added, requesting Azubuike not get in foul trouble a second straight game with no other bigs available at this time.
KU will return home to meet Texas Tech at 3 p.m. Saturday in Allen.
